State & National News
‘Big Mess’ Looms if Schools Don’t Get Billions to Reopen Safely
7/9/2020- ‘As President Trump and others push to get students back in the classroom this fall, educators say they need more support and clearer guidelines.’
7/8/2020- ‘A new “bridge year” pilot program will allow some New Jersey high school students to stay behind for an extra year to make up what they missed when schools were shut down abruptly by the coronavirus.’
NC Arts High School Graduation Requirement Signed into Law by Governor Cooper
7/2/2020- ‘On July 2, 2020 Governor Roy Cooper signed Senate Bill 681 into law which, among other things, created an Arts High School Graduation Requirement in North Carolina.’
Los Angeles And San Diego Schools Announce Online-Only Fall
7/13/2020- ‘On Monday, Los Angeles and San Diego public schools announced they will be starting the school year remote-only in August as coronavirus cases rise in Southern California.’
Pandemic, strained economy threaten higher ed in Colorado
7/11/2020- ‘Angie Paccione, fresh off a weekly call with university presidents across Colorado, summed up the state of higher education in the midst of a pandemic, an economic recession and a reckoning with lifetimes worth of racial inequities: It’s a “cacophony of crises.”’
Nevada Legislature pumps brakes after COVID-19 case reported
7/11/2020- ‘Nevada lawmakers pumped the brakes on their emergency special session Saturday, a day after someone in the legislative building tested positive for COVID-19.’
Maryland educators to Hogan: Class should be all-virtual for ‘at least the first semester’
7/14/2020- ‘Maryland educators, in an open letter to the governor and state superintendent, are calling for the 2020-2021 school year to “begin with virtual learning and instruction for at least the first semester.”’
New York outlines the when and hows of a return to school
7/13/2020- ‘New York parents and educators got some long-awaited answers to their back-to-school questions Monday, with Gov. Andrew Cuomo saying schools will be allowed to open in areas where the coronavirus is under control and education officials outlining a raft of guidance for whether that happens in-person, remotely or a combination of both.’
Maine Legislature may return for special session
7/14/2020- ‘Legislative leaders are polling lawmakers to determine whether they want to hold a session this summer to address issues related to COVID-19.
Report Highlights Teacher Recruitment, Diversity Initiatives
7/13/2020- ‘To address ongoing teacher shortages and increase the diversity of the teacher workforce, the state of Mississippi has launched Grow Your Own (GYO) initiatives, according to a New America report.
Research and Analysis
State Actions to Close Budget Shortfalls in Response to COVID-19
State revenue collections across the country plummeted as commerce slowed down to curb the spread of COVID-19. As a result, states face major budget shortfalls. To illustrate the implications of these budget gaps, the National Conference of State Legislatures created a new database detailing state budget-cutting and revenue-increasing measures. The database brings up-to-date, real-time information in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Policy Roundup Compiled by NAfME’s Matt Barusch.